ABC Arts and Screen Australia have joined forces once again to run a third instalment of short-form documentary initiative Art Bites, designed to support early career filmmakers.
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SAFC has shifted to a 100 per cent grant model and has removed the funding cap for drama production in both TV and features.
Screen Australia counts commercial elements/market-driven appeal among the eight criteria for its feature film funding decisions but its track record has not been stellar recently, according to data released this week.
Are feature film producers who want to be better remunerated during the five years they typically spend developing each project prepared to see Screen Australia slash the number of projects it develops to fund higher fees?
A feature documentary adaptation of Jimmy Barnes’ memoir; a four-part SBS series which will see black and white archival footage of early 20th century Australian life colourised; and a immersive take on the blue whale, designed to be screen in dome cinemas and planetariums, are among the 12 documentary projects to recently receive production funding from Screen Australia.
Nineteen companies, whittled down from 122 applications, will share in $2.9 million worth of Enterprise Funding from Screen Australia.
In producing a crowdfunded film documentary, is it the creator who reaps higher relative gains, or existing agents such as distributors, film festivals, and broadcasters?